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Kalistan
Kalistan, officially known as''' The United Republic of Kalistan''' is a republic located on the northeastern tip of Seleya. It a relatively neutral nation, and an important economic power. Its capital is the city of Kaliburg on the island of Ananto. Geography See also: How Big is Kalistan? Kalistan is a small country, located on the northeast corner of Seleya. Kalistan is geographically divided into two parts: Mainland Kalistan (historically simply "Kalistan") and Ananto. It is bounded on the north by Lodamun, and on the south and west by Baltusia. To the east are the Anantan and Odufart Seas. The capital of Kalistan is Kaliburg, on the island of Ananto. Ananto Ananto is an island located 500 miles offshore, midway between Seleya, Dovani, and Keris. It is kept cool on its western coast by the artic North Seleyan drift, and warmed on the east by the tropical Dovani Stream. Down the center of the Y-shaped island are the Angry Mountains, a chain of volcanic peaks, and the less volcanic Constipated Mountains. Along the western shore, towards the south, are the smaller Xanadu Mountains. The western side of the island is cool and fertile, with cold, rainy winters. The eastern side is home to a large plain with a much warmer climate. The northern side is a very rocky landscape, suitable mainly for grazing, but little agriculture. The largest city of Ananto is Kaliburg-Port Davon, which is also the provincial and national capital. It is located about halfway up the western shore, where the Zappa River empties into Davon Bay. The second largest city is Luxon, on Luxon Bay at the island's southern tip. Other large cities include Dahriel, in the east, Dulnerstaad, in the northwest, Eveari, in the north, and Xanadu, in the Alph Valley between Kaliburg and Luxon. Ananto is its own administrative province, which is subdivided into 52 counties (see Counties of Ananto). Seperate from the province is the Kaliburg-Port Davon Federal District, which is still divided into counties, but not administered by county governments. Kalistani Mainland Mainland Kalistan is defined in modern terms as being all of Kalistan not in Ananto, meaning Odufaray, Neveras, Vrassa, and Suldanor. Historically, Kalistan was the area between the two Kali Rivers (the Kali River of the North is now the November River of Norstavan and the Kali River of the South forms the border between Baltusia and Gaduria and Tukarali.) and east of the East Wall Mountains. This defination includes parts of what are now Lodamun and Baltusia. Modern Kalistan is bounded on the north by the Jah River and delta, the East Wall Mountains on the west, and the Lucid River and Yoshimi Bay on the south. Mainland Kalistan is bounded on the west by the East Wall Mountains, which mark the eastern edge of the Baltusian Plateau. In the south, it is seperated from Baltusia by the Lucid River and the Lucid Mountains. Slightly north of the Lucid Mountains are the Magrathea and Ulshuri Ranges. The East Wall is actually two different ranges running at opposing angles, which intersect north of the triple point of Baltusia, Suldanor, and Neveras (the Gevaro Pass). Meeting the East Wall Mountains at this triple point, and from there running NE and providing the border between Neveras and Odufaray are the Odufart Mountains, with a small branching range known as the Dana Mountains, before turning due east and becoming the Narcomanian Mountains, and then (after the Narcoid Pass) the Bork Highlands. The chain continues as an archipelago to form the Angry Mountains of Ananto. The southern line of the East Wall continues past the Gevaro Pass as the Shan Mountains. Across the high endorheic lake Bong Water lie the Granistani Heights, west of which is the East Wall. In Neveras the East Wall has numerous smaller ranges, such as the Pigpen and Grani Ranges. Traversing Vrassa east to west from the East Wall to the Monty Highlands are the low Vrassan mountains. The enclosed plateau formed by the Vrassan, Odufart, and East Wall Mountains is generally known as the Neveran Plateau, and is drained by the Neveras River, its tributaries the Vrassa and Gran, and the Bong Water system. The basin of the Vrassa River is the dry Vrassan Plateau, while the area drained by the Neveras River is the fertile Neveras Valley. The western areas drained by the Gran and Bong rivers are much more arid and mountainous, essentially being deserts. North of the plateau is the cool and verdant Jah Valley, commonly known as Jahmaika, which is split between Kalistan and Lodamon. Seperated by the low Funky Hills is the Funky Valley, to the east of which are the Monty Highlands, which lie at the eastern end of the Vrassan chain. South of the this and north of the Narcomanian Mountains is the large, lush lower Neveras Valley, split between Vrassa and Odufaray. Beyond the Narcomanian mountains the Kalistani coast takes the basic pattern of rivers flowing east from mountains across lush plains into the sea, sometimes obstructed by some small highlands as in Treacleland and Borkistan. The largest rivers in this region, which makes up most of Suldanor and Odufaray, are the Kluptoon (between Suldanor and Odufaray), Yoshimi, and Lucid. Smaller rivers are, from north to south, the Narc, Bork, North Plain, South Plain, Jerry, Santa, Dana, Negress, Beefsteak, and Ulshuri. Political Geography Politically, Kalistan is divided into five Districts: Ananto, Odufaray, Vrassa, Suldanor and Neveras. These Districts are then divided into smaller, insignificant administrative areas, or counties in the case of Ananto. History Main Article: Complete History of Kalistan To be brief, Kalistan was colonized by the Empire of Ikradon in the first millenia, ruled by the Empire of Ananto in the second, and a federal republic in third. The name "Kalistan" is derived from the name of the Kalii tribes, with the addition of the Aldegarian suffix ''-stān'', meaning "place of" or "country. The suffix is commonly used for nation or region names in areas of significant Aldegarian influence. Kali was a blanket term given to all the natives of Seleya living in what is now mainland Kalistan, Athosia, and parts of Norstavan, and the term only applied for Mainland Kalistan, excluding the island of Ananto, until the foundation of the Federal Republic in 1924. Founding The Anantan Empire, which ruled Kalistan from the thirteenth to twentieth centuries, was founded in 1432. It was descended from the Beulan Empire (proclaimed 1331). 1432 is often given as the date of Kalistan's founding as it was when Mainland Kalistan and Ananto were united, and have remained since. The Federal Republic of Kalistan was originally founded in 1924, but fragmented in the 2030's, to be refounded in 2039 by Pavel Andreivich. Therefore the current constitution dates to 2039, but theoretically is a continuation of the state founded in 1924, which was created out of the state created in 1432. Because the most impressive of these dates is 1432, it is used here. The fathers and mothers of Kalistan can be given as Emperor Jorge I (1432), President Pickles Ananto (1924, and President Pavel Andreivich (2039). Imperial Kalistan and the Rise of the Dual Economy Though the Republic was founded in 1924, Kalistan continued nominally as an Empire through most of the modern Era. The Emperor sometimes sat on a throne, but during much of the time, the Imperial Seat was vacant. Over the next two thousand years, as Kalistan went through many political changes, the Empire faded from memory. Nominally, the Imperial Party was the Rights and Freedom Party (Later, the Revolutionary Freedom Party,) whose members participated more enthusiastically in the Nobility than other Parties. In the Late 26th Century, RFP was joined by the primary republican Leftist Party in Kalistan's Republican history, the Socialist Party of Kalistan. The RFP and the SP formed a long term alliance which stretched over more than a dozen centuries of Kalistan's History During this period, it was rare that at least one of these two Parties did not completely dominate Kalistani Politics, and the foundational policies of Kalistani Society were laid down under these two Parties' supervision. The primary features of Kalistan's society have been a radical adherance to civil liberties in Kalistan and the Dual Economy. The Civil Libertarian strain of Kalistan, which found its origins in Kalistan's pre-Republican years led Kalistan toward seemingly excessive moral permissiveness and widespread production and use of drugs throughout the country. This, in turn led to the rise of the cartel known as the Organization of Drug Exporting Nations, of which Kalistan has always been the primary member. The other feature, the Dual Economy, began early in the 21st Century, and featured a robust private sector with a strong public sector built alongside it. The Public Sector's task became the provision of public goods and the meeting of the needs of the population of Kalistan. To do so, it established both a modest progressive tax regime, as well as, in the 33rd Century, a National Service Program, which aimed both at providing young Kalistanis the skills necessary to hold a job, but also aimed at soaking up excess labor in the labor market to ensure higher wages. The National Service Program became a mainstay in the Kalistani economy, serving the role that other countries reserve for the National Military. With a restricted labor market, labor held an advantage in the private sector, and employers were required to grant important concessions to Kalistani workers. The result was that wealth generated in Kalistan went more to enrich the people of the country, than just to enrich a small sector of them. To the National Service Program, the Government added a nationalized Petroleum industry and a nationalized Ferro-mineral industry, a national power grid, nationalized health care, and a National Rail system which spread across the entire country. The two main thrusts have been a focus of Kalistani Domestic Policy. Internationally, Kalistan has remained outside of most international conflict. The famous Kalistani Neutrality means that Kalistan does not involve itself in Mutual security agreements. Kalistan has sent contingents to several international conflicts, but those contingents have been formed of elements of the Party Militias, rather than the Standing Military. Ananto did suffer an invasion at the end of the 3900s: Indrala invaded and occupied the northern part of the Island, but were then beaten back by Kalistani Regulars and Partisans, who used knowledge of the local terrain to win several key battles and force a suit for peace. Besides these sporadic episodes, Kalistan maintains peace and tranquility in North Eastern Selaya, even as wars for conquest wage across many parts of the rest of the planet. Beginning in 3900, Kalistani Politics have been dominated by the Socialist Party of Kalistan, who has ruled the country, for most of this Period, alone. Republican Kalistan On September 1, 4056, the last remnants of the Empire were officially abolished, and Kalistan was reborn as the United Republic of Kalistan. Culture See also: Languages of Kalistan Below is the cultural guide to Kalisan, which outlines Kalistani Culture. (OOC: RL equivalents in Parentheses) Pre-Historical Development of the Kalistani Culture The earliest recorded inhabitants of Kalistan are the Kalii tribes, an ethnic group including the Aldegarians of Aldegar. The Kalii were the ancestors of the Kalkali people, creating a number of ancient civilizations. During Antiquity the Jelbo-Tukaric (Ural-Altaic) people arrived in Kalistan from their homeland in the north-west of the continent (see also: Jelbo-Tukaric Migrations), and in time the Jelbo-Tukarics in Kalistan became the Mu-Tze people, who proceeded to create the Mu-Tze Khanate of 218-719 (~Mongol Empire), an empire ruling over most of the continent of Seleya. The island of Ananto was not incorporated into the Khanate, and around the 2nd century CE the island became the centre of the Anantan Empire, created by exiles from Indrala(Chinese). Both the Khanate and the Empire collapsed during the early medieval era, and Kalistan was left divided into a number of kingdoms, which were gradually brought under the colonial empire of Ikradon- a nation currently known as Ibutho. The entire time, Kalistan was also a destination for refugee, trading, and pirate communities, which significantly influenced the independent differentiation of Kalistani culture from neighboring nations. The Ikradonian colonial empire was characterized by significant independent cultural development across Kalistan, Ikradon, and Talmoria. Kalistan became independent in 1907 after the Twenty Years War fought in north Seleya between various colonial empires. Ancestry of the Modern Kalistani People Kalistan is a very multi-ethnic/multi-racial place, and has been for a long time. The majority of the people describe their ethnic background as simply "Kaistani" because they are of heavily mixed and very complex descent. This is because Kalistan was originally settled by the Kalii Tribes. (Kalistan is taken from Kaliistantum, "Land of the Tribes.") To this group long ago (before game history starts) various exile groups, refugees, pirates and so forth fled, settled or hid in Kalistan, and were welcomed into and intermarried into the various Kalii tribes. The various tribes themselves also intermarried. This continued in various forms, with groups that considered themselves under the loose banner of the tribes and their allies settling both Ananto and the Mainland, until Ananto officially conquered the mainland, creating Kalistan as we know it today. Afterwards, Kalistan took in a large number of refugees from Deltaria, Luthori, and Sekwono, and smaller numbers from other places. Ancient Tribal Affiliation (and RL Equivalents) which formed the racial and ethnic stock of the Kalistani people are as follows: * Kalkalli (Hindustani Indian): From the original Kalii Tribes * Asali From the Original Kalii Tribes Divided into : ** Highlands Asali (80% German, 20% French) ** Eastern Lowlands Asali (80% French 20% German) ** Western Lowlands Asali (55% Louisiana Cajun French and Creole French, 25% Caribbean French Creole, 10% German 10% Spanish) * Enlii or Lost Tribes: From the Original Kalii Tribes (25% English 25% Irish 25% Scottish 25% Welsh) * Duntrekkaans: From the Original Kalii Tribes and some of the ancient other settlers (50% Dutch, 10% Icelandic, 10% Norwegian, 10% Swedish, 10% Finnish,10% Danish) * Vintalli or Vinnii: From the Original Kallii Tribes and some other ancient settlers (50% Italian 50% Greek) * Mu-Tzi: From the Original Kalii Tribes Divided into the Mu and Tzi, (66% Japanese, 34% Chinese) * Stazzii or Stadelii: From the Original Kallii Tribes and ancient and later settlers (50% Russian, 50% various Eastern European groups) * Pensiah: From the Original Kalii Tribes (50% Spanish 50% native Central American Hispanic) * Fia-Marchan: From the Original Kalii Tribes (Central African.) The Tribes were divided into several larger groups, the largest being the Vrassan and Odufar groups, but all of these were made of tribes of various backgrounds. (Though not evenly. For example most Stazzi and Asali were Odufar.) Cultural Quantum of Kalistan Modern Kalistani Culture (with Earth equivalents) is made up of the following elements * Kali: 27% (divided into Kalkali and Ezadi) (Hindustani/Afghani) ** Kalkali- 68%, or 18% overall ** Ezadi- 32%, or 8.6% overall * Pensios: 23% (was Pensiah) (Latino/Hispanic) * Gao-Showa: 17% (was Mu-Tzi) (East Asian/Mongolian) * Enlians: 9% (British Isles) * Vintalli: 6% (Classical Mediterranean/Greco-Latin) * Dunlakaan: 4% (was Duntrekkaans) (Dutch/Scandinavian) * Asali: 4% (Central European/Louisiana Creole) * Delics: 4% (was Stazzii or Stadelii) (Russian/Slavic) * Asli: 4% (was Fia-Marchan) (Central African/ Congolese) * Other: 2% Cultural Quantum is a term used in Kalistan to describe the relative influences of culture within Kalistan. Specifically, nearly all people in Kalistan identify as "Kalistani", but that culture reflects contributions from several different ethnicities. The numbers listed above, as close as Kalistani sociologists and anthropologists can agree, are the strengths of each particular culture relative to the whole. For example, traditions specifically traced to Kali influences makes up roughly 27% of Kalistani Culture overall. The contributions of the various minor cultures extend primarily to naming and spoken language more than actual practice among the people. Primary Languages spoken in Kalistan Nearly all Kalistani citizens are multi-lingual, and speak at least two languages fluently. There are 22 official languages in Kalistan, and many unofficial ones, however a number of them deserve special mention due to their central role in Kalistani society: * Luthori (English) is represented in the nation by two specifically Kalistani varieties, Vrassan and Odufar. These are symbolized by English with American vocabulary and British pronunciation for Vrassan, vice-versa for Odufar. ** Vrassan is spoken primarily in Vrassa, Ananto, and nothern Neveras, ** Odufar is spoken primarily in Odufaray, Suldanor and southern Neveras. ** Kalistani Luthori is frequently used as a lingua franca for the entire nation, and one dialect or the other is spoken as a First (Home) Language by the vast majority of the population. * Apart from Luthori, the other main languages of Kalistan fall into three major language families ** Selucian, Primarily of the Egelian Family (Latin/Romance, Spanish) ** Kali (Indo-Iranian), ** Jelbo-Tukaric (Ural-Altaic), and ** Gao-Indralan (Sino-Tibetan + East Asian). ** The Kali family in Kalistan is divided into the Kalkali (Indo-Aryan) and Ezadi (Iranian) branches. * The Egelian variety of Selucian is spoken widely across Kalistan by the majority of the people as the primary second Language. This language has been on the rise since the mid 33rd Century, and many families with Egelian last names are found throughout Kalistan. While not used much in official/government communication, a pidgin of Luthori and Egelian is often spoken by the Youth across the entire Republic, and is spoken as a second language in many households. * The Kalkali languages, namely Ananti (Punjabi), Rajutti (Hindi), Zaqrami (Urdu), Rajavanshi (Gujarati), Khoni (Sindhi), and Bhapori (Kashmiri) are generally spoken by Kalistanis seeking to promote Kalkali aspects of the National Heritage. Some of them, like Zaqrami or Khoni, have received more Ezadi influence than others, which is also visible in their writing system. ** Of the Kalkali languages, Anantanese or Ananti (Punjabi) is spoken primarily on Ananto and is the 3rd major language of Kalistan. Use of Ananti as a second language is quite widespread in Kalistan. The decline of cultural hegemons in other nations has opened the door to the readoption among a significant portion of the population for literacy and fluency in Ananti. Modern Ananti got an additional boost in the 40th Century with the rise of Parties that specifically adopted the language and promoted the use of Ananti alongside Luthori across Kalistan. It should be noted, however, that the use of Ananti has begun to decline following 4000. * Ezadi languages have the second largest number of native speakers among those who speak Kali, and they also heavily influenced a number of Kalkali languages. The most widely spoken Ezadi language in Kalistan is Dudmani (Pashto), which is often spoken by other Ezadi groups as well. * Bhagavathan (Sanskrit), an ancient Kali language, has the role of classical language of Kalistan, similarly to the role of Selucian in Western countries. * Gao-Showan (East Asian) languages, primarily ** Panmuan (Mongolian), ** Dzegran (Tibetan), ** Indralan (Chinese), and ** Kunikata (Japanese) are widely spoken among Kalistanis of Gao-Showan origin. ** Of these, Panmuan is of particular importance, as it was first standardized in Kalistan in the 20th century. Panmuan is primarily spoken in rural areas of Neveras and southwestern Odufaray. Religions of Kalistan Just as in the case of ethnicity, Kalistan is very diverse in terms of religion. Most religions followed in Kalistan originate from within a Kalkali or Ezadi cultural milieu, and the largest one was born in Kalistan. But Religion in Kalistan has been almost completely supplanted by observance of the Society of Brethren since the late 40th Century. The break down of religions in Kalistan follows, with a description of the main faiths below. * Hosianism: 82.2% ** Society of Brethren: 93% ** Bishopal: 5% ** Patriarchalism: 1% *** Aurorian Patriarchal Church: 60% *** Terran Patriarchal Church: 20% *** Apostolic Church of the East: 10% *** Other: 10% ** Other: 1% * Akalism: 10% * Yazdism: 4% ** Zamanism: 80% ** Ahadism: 10% ** Rowshanism: 5% ** Other: 5% *Other: 4% ** Geraja: 22% ** Gao-Showan religions: 22% ** Ahmadism: 14.6% ** Kalistani Maltheism: 12% ** Daenism: 12% ** Irreligious: 12% ** Yeudism: 5% Notes on Religions in Kalistan See Also: Society of Brethren See Also: Hosianism See Also: Ahmadism # The Society of Brethren, while a relatively new arrival to Kalistan, has rapidly become the dominant faith of religious individuals in Kalistan. (Re-) Founded in 3918 by Jonas Bennots-Plum and unofficially encouraged during the period of One Party rule in Kalistan under the Socialist Party of Kalistan, the Society of Brethren exploded in growth across Kalistan. The religion is one of Hosian Mysticism, where adherents believe that through listening quietly, they can hear the word and will of God. The religion is relatively ecumenical and accepts all beliefs, so long as they are able to be challenged, within the faith. Consequently, it has been easy for Kalistani citizens to become Members of the society, while also retaining large aspects of other religions. The meeting and mixing of faiths in the Brethrenist Meetings has allowed for amalgamation, which is a reflection of the amalgamation of Kalistani Society in general. The All Terran Conference is located in Kalistan, and Kalistan has five yearly meetings, one in each District. # Hosianism (apart from Brethrenism) is a religion founded in 1 CE which believes Eliyahu of Yishelem to be the Spirit of God and the Saviour of mankind. The largest Hosian denomination in Kalistan is the Bishopal Church of Kalistan, which was born from a reform movement within the Catholicosate of Kalistan during the colonial period, and is now a member of the Bishopal Communion. The Aurorian Patriarchal Church, Terra's largest Hosian communion, has a minor presence in Kalistan. The Aldegarian Apostolic Church, an autocephalous (independent) member of the Apostolic Church of the East, is also present in Kalistan, represented in the nation by the Catholicosate of Kalistan. The Terran Patriarchal Church has a presence in the Deltarian community. # Akalism is the second largest, and largest native religion in Kalistan, where it was born in the 17th century within the context of a religiously and politically divided nation. Akalism (from the Ananti word “Akal”, meaning “timeless” or “immortal”) is a panentheistic and monotheistic religion founded and led by a number of Gurus, and often considered a form of syncretism between Zamanism and Geraja. Most Akalis belong to the Kalkali ethnic group, but the religion has a relatively wide following throughout the nation. # The Third largest religion in Kalistan is Yazdism, a religion founded in 710 BCE by Aldegarian prophet Shapur, and centered around belief in the Eternal Fire, considered to be the "soul" of the world, and following a system of morality whereby humanity has the duty to fight against the forces of darkness through “good thoughts, good words, and good deeds”. The most followed Yazdean denomination in Kalistan is Zamanism, a branch of Yazdism that is characterized by strict dualism between the good and evil spirit, and which places much emphasis on asceticism and non-violence. Zamanism is predominantly followed by Ezadis. Ahadism, a monotheistic belief system that considers Yazdān (God) to be the omniscient and omnipotent creator of the universe, including the evil spirit Duzakh, is predominantly followed by Aldegarians. # Geraja is a religion and way of life born in the nation of Malivia sometime in the 5th century, encompassing a wide variety of beliefs and practices. Most Gerajans belong to Kalkali ethnicities. # Daenism is a religion that was born in Aldegar in the 2nd century CE as a sect within Zamānism, and which later spread Terra-wide, becoming one of the largest Terran religions. Daenism emphasizes the elimination of attachment, aversion, and ignorance as the way to achieve enlightenment, meaning liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. Daenism is primarily followed by the Gao-Showans. # Ahmadism is a religion born in 1186 in Barmenia that believes Akim to be the only God and Ahmad to be His Prophet. Ahmadism was brought to Kalistan by Asli traders from Talmoria during the early modern age, and all major Ahmadi denominations are present in the nation. Naming Conventions in Kalistan Names in Kalistan can be made up of any form of the names from the cultures listed above. They have high and low forms. The high form of the name has a hyphenated first name, a middle name, and a hyphenated last name. For example, John-Kumar Ivan LeBlanc-Rodriguez The low form of the same name uses the first part of the first name and the first part of the last name, so the same person using the low form of his name would be John LeBlanc If a middle name is used as well in the low form it would be the middle name from the high form, not the second half of the hyphenated name, John Ivan LeBlanc Many in Kalistan tend to use only low form names these days. High forms are used by Kalistani traditionalists, and some consider them pretentious. The exception is a hypenated last name with Ananto as the second part. In this case the full last name is a non-divisible whole as "-Ananto" is considered a mark of (normally self-claimed) nobility. For example: Marisol-Topaz Elizabetta Bjornsdattir-Ananto in low form would be Marisol Bjornsdattir-Ananto There are other noble last names such as Dulnar-Freiheit and Reynolds-Ananto which also follow this pattern, as can -Reynolds. Other names affect the hyphenation found in names of nobility and therefore follow the same rules, though they are symbolic of political dynasties and make no actual claim to nobility. See, for example: -Bennots and -Carrangus Economy Kalistan has a powerful economy, based largely on investment and service industries. Kalistan is listed as a "Middle" Economy, meaning it relies on export-based manufacturing, heavy industry, and trade. The Kalistani economy also features a large, specialized agricultural sector. Kalistan is famous for being located in the Drug Belt of Seleya, and is one of the top producers of high quality cannabis, raw opium, hashish, and coca, and is also a center for drug refining and synthetic drug manufacture. In addition, Suldanor District boasts the world's largest treacle mining sector, which gives Kalistan the world's largest share of treacle production. Kalistani is also known for exporting large amounts of petroleum products, alcohol, and iron and steel due to developments in the economy following the year 4000. The Kalistani Economy was once dominated by three major conglomerates, known as the Big Three: Kalistani Saccharine Corp, Ananto Worldwide, and Grand Enterprises. In 2374 these companies (along with all other private assets) were absorbed into the government, only to be privatized again in 2381 in the National Divestment Auction. From 2381 to 2391, Kalistan's economy functioned as a "dual system," with private businesses competing against eachother and parallel nationalized companies. In 2391, the remaining public holdings, including media and infrastructure, were privatized, making Kalistan an entirely private economy. But after 3000, the Dual Economy became the primary feature of Kalistan's Economy, with the Government engaging in large scale Public Sector growth for the purpose of providing public goods (and following the development of the National Service Act in the 35th Century, regulating the labor market), while encouraging and regulating a robust private sector which focused on providing consumer goods. Kalistan's unemployment ranges anywhere from 3.7% in Neveras, where there is a strong public sector investment in Mining and resource extraction, to 9.98% in Ananto, which is due largely to the seasonal nature of Agriculture, deliberately low workforce participation among those who claim nobility and live on pensions, and the more advanced, automated, and productive private services sector which dominates Ananto's economy. Nonetheless, the country as a whole is quite wealthy, and due to the strong Dual Economy in Kalistan, the wealth is distributed more evenly across the society in Kalistan than it is in other nations. The mean wealth disparity across Kalistan is a merely 27%, making Kalistan one of the most equal nations, in terms of wealth distribution, in Terra. Much of this wealth is based on Kalistan's robust Drug, Petroleum and Iron and Steel export industries, whose prices are supported by heavy government subsidies. The Kalistani unit of currency is the Kalistani Ruble. Politics See also: Index of Kalistani Politics and List of Presidents of Kalistan The President of the Republic is the head of state of Kalistan, and is usually elected every three years. Elected with the president are the members of Parliament. The President, according to Prerogative, appoints a cabinet, lead by the Prime Minister. According to the long-standing Principle of Separation of Powers, the Prime Minister is of the largest non-Presidential Party, though the President may opt to name as PM the leader of the largest non-Presidential Party in his or her governing coalition. Kalistan generally holds national elections three years after the previous election. These elections are for the position of President of the Republic, seats in the National Assembly, and District government positions. District Governors are named by the Electoral winners in each district, and District Governments reflect the electoral results for that District in the General Election. District Speakers control the Agenda in their respective District Assemblies. Kalistan's legislative branch consists of the unicameral National Assembly, made up 750 Deputies elected from population-based districts. In addition to law making, the Assembly has the ability to call for early elections, if a large vacancy of seats develops or a vote of no confidence passes against the Premier of the Republic. The Assembly does not, however, have the power to impeach the president. Kalistan has a judicial branch in the form of the Kalistani Constitutional Court. The court's seating is figured by the following formula: All Parties are entitled to 1 Seat. The President's Party obtains an additional seat. The Plurality Party obtains an additional Seat. And the Minister of Justice names one additional member. The court's justices serve terms twice as long as the Members of the Assembly or the President. Kalistan's President serves as the chief of the executive branch and Head of State. There is no term limit on presidents, and many have served for over twenty years. Presidents are elected independently of the Parliament. The president can issue decrees dictating cabinet policies, but these are dependent on the cabinet to carry out. The Prime Minister is a position appointed with the cabinet, who chairs it and the parliament. There is an official limit on the lifespans of cabinets, but it is seldom recognized. Transportation Kalistan has a well maintained system of freeways (limited access highways) throughout both Ananto and the Mainland, which are maintained and funded by the federal government. Highways in the Ananto system are given a A# classification, while highways on the mainland are given a K# classification. The federal government also maintains a network of local highways, given a B# classification, while states maintain smaller highways (C#), and districts maintain important local roads (D#). In the case of A, K, and B highways, numbering is ordered with all north-south highways being odd numbered and increasing from east to west, while east-west highways are even numbered, and increase the farther south they are. Kalistan also maintains a free, publically funded rail system throughout both parts of the country, which operates on privately owned track, often in competition with private rail services. There is no ground transportation connection between Ananto and the rest of Kalistan, so there is a large industry of sea transportation services between them. Following the National Ferry Service bill (February 4054), there is now a publicly maintained ferry service between Ananto and Kalistan in addition to the many private services which operate. Technology Kalistan is one of the most technologically advanced nations in Terra, notably in astronomy, electronics, and biotechnology. There are numerous cases throughout Kalistani history of cloning, brains-in-jars, brains-copied-into-computers, etc. More notably, Kalistan was responsible for the first space program focusing on landing on a moon, and as a result the discovery of both of Terra's moons, Luna Viridia and Luna Alba. Kalistan was also home to one of the first computers in the early 20th century. Category:Kalistan Category:Nations Category:Seleya